Local artists want grant funding

El Centro, Calif. –
Local artists will have a chance to unite and showcase their work for an audience that can have a great impact on them.
The California Arts Council (CAC) is coming to Imperial Valley for the first time, thanks to the efforts of Rosemarie Wood, Executive Director of the North County Coalition for the Arts.

“I want every single artist, from small groups to individuals to profit to non-profit, including schools, to come and support us. And to tell the arts council that we’re here,” said Wood.

Wood says the CAC is a state agency that funds the arts and this will be an opportunity for them to see how much art and talent is in the community.

Rudy Robles, project manager for the arts showcase organized at Imperial Valley College for the arts council representatives, said the event is very important for all local artists. If it’s successful, it could convince the CAC representatives to funnel funding to the area.
“In the last ten years we have not gotten any type of funding from them. Which is very disappointing. A lot of the art that you see here is done on just a few pennies, whatever we can scrounge up,” Robles said.

Randy Galvan, local graphic artist, talked about the struggles and limitations that local artists face.
“There’s only so much we can do ourselves with our funding. There’s only so much we can put into our own work,” Galvan said.

According to the CAC official website, this year’s general fund for the arts will reach 8.3 million dollars. And Galvan wants some of that for Imperial Valley artists.

“We’ve been overlooked. I think now it’s time for them to see how much Imperial Valley is growing,” Galvan concluded.